Thursday, July 5

Keeping it in the Family

I have a very interesting family, be it a touch dysfunctional….. I have just travelled down to Ferndown in Dorset to visit my Auntie Olive. She is in her late 80’s and although very frail she is full of life and still very artistic; she paints and knits but today I want to show you some of her hand made rugs.


This is the first rug -

She used a dinner plate as a template for her design

All her later work is 'signed'

This is my favourite - it is one of a pair - they were her first attempts at rug making

What I love about these is the colours

Another rug....they were made with thrift store finds - mainly wool skirts.

Despite her age she also tends her beautiful garden - she designed the layout.

10 comments:

  1. WOW.. it is not too hard to see where you inherited some of your wonderful use of colour and design from, those rugs are lovely, your aunty looks like she has a liking for the arts and crafts movement, with a little deco thrown in for good measure, hope you are well, i will get back with a bit more unpacking now, i had quite forgotten about some of the stuff i have just un-earthed a little pile of 4" x 3" printed cotton scraps,it really is the simple things in life. Take care S x

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  2. Anonymous3:08 PM

    She has a great eye for colour, there must be hours of work in each of those rugs. I like the 'plate' one best

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  3. Another "WOW"! Those are absolutely beautiful! And you can tell the same artistic flair she has is reflected in her garden design!

    Those look like rugs you'd see in an art museum!

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  4. I am totally in awe! Those rugs are absolutely beautiful. The colours and the designs are stunning. No matter how much I love sewing, knitting and generally being creative, the idea of starting to create a rug would be just too much for me. I wouldn't even know where to begin. Your Aunty is clearly a very talented lady.

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  5. These are very impressive Lynn - it must take a lot of work to find and match the colours and also to complete such large projects.

    My gran made proggy (ragrug) mats but they were all just splodgy or stripey - a new one got made for the hearth each year.

    Is the technique similar? - just the backing holding in the fabric or is it quite a different thing altogether.

    Pass on my admiration please,
    J
    x

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  6. I'm so delighted that you love my auntie's rugs.
    In answer to Jane's question they are the very same as rag rugs but I know the larger ones where stretched out on a 'loom'or frame that my uncle made for her.
    I have an unfinished rug myself (started years ago) and must say they are great fun and not technically difficult if a simple design is chosen....so Fiona give one a go!
    My auntie used old woollen skirts and coats but I have seen rugs made from plastic carrier bags and old T shirts - an excellent use for old ones that are past giving to charity.
    I like to think there is a strong artisan streak running through the family.

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  7. Anonymous7:34 AM

    aahhhhhh.
    The Neighbour

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  8. I'm in awe of those rugs! They are all beautiful, you just wouldn't want to walk on them would you?

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  9. Wow those rugs are amazing! Auntie Olive rocks!
    The use of colours is really good and I can see where you get your talent from. Do you get to keep any of these? What a wonderful family heirloom to keep and treasure...just keep them pesky moths away.
    From the most dysfunctional families, amazing things come.
    Hugs xxx

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  10. Anonymous1:56 PM

    amazing. Will she adopt me if I asked nicely?

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